1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for the distribution of program data to users connected to an open network, such as the Internet. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for enabling the management of security and of license in a system for distributing program data, which can be executed by a video game machine, to users via an open network.
2. Related Arts
At present, it is possible for an arbitrary user to build a server and to offer program data to the public on the Internet. For program data that are available from a sever on the Internet, a licensing contract with a copyright holder is often required in order for the data to be used.
A very effective business gambit for the owner of program data is the wide distribution, for a price, of the program to users via an open network, such as the Internet. Furthermore, when the sale of the program is performed by third persons, the business opportunities available to the program data owner are increased.
Currently, for the sale of ROM cassettes or CD-ROM disks holding game programs for use with a video game machine, a licensing agreement is usually concluded with the maker of the video game machine.
When the licensing agreement is concluded, security code is added to game programs stored in ROM cassettes or on CD-ROM disks to authenticate the game programs.
In this case, the video game machine will include a checking function for determining whether or not a game program stored in a ROM cassette or on a CD-ROM disk has been authenticated, and will also include a protection mechanism that prevents the execution of a game program produced by a maker who has no license.
When program data is to be distributed via an open network such as the Internet, however, no such protection mechanism for checking security is available. Therefore, distribution of program data by an unlicensed maker can not be prevented.
In such a case, a licensing agreement process for the sale of game programs will not have been established. Also, a charge system for program data that is used across an open network, such as the Internet, has to be considered.
For these reasons, there is a demand for a system that facilitates security and licensing management, and the distribution of data to users via an open network.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a system for distributing program data, such as game program data, to users across an open network, such as the Internet.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system, for distributing program data to users across an open network, that permits the licensing of a third person business to perform data distribution.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a system, for distributing program data across an open network, that can easily introduce a charge system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system, for distributing program data to users across an open network, that can prevent the unauthorized copying of program data.
To achieve the above objects, the basic concept of the present invention comprises:
an open network;
a file server, connected to the open network, for distributing encrypted program data;
a key server, connected to the open network, for distributing a decryption key used to decode the encrypted program data; and
a terminal, connected to the open network, for processing program data, the terminal employing the decryption key distributed by the key server to decode the encrypted program data obtained from the file server.
The other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the detailed description of the embodiment of the present invention, which will be given while referring to the accompanying drawings.